The National Portrait Gallery in Canberra will host a new exhibition called Maiden Mother Crone, opening on 14 November. The show assembles three artists whose practice defies conventional expectations of portraiture and feminine representation. Del Kathryn Barton, a Sydney‑based painter who has twice won the Archibald Prize, provides the anchor for the show. Known for richly ornamented canvases that often feature mythic female figures, Barton’s latest contributions revisit a controversial school‑leaving self‑portrait, reworking the pose as a statement of vulnerability and strength rather than a male‑gaze object. Joining her are Emily Hunt, a practising witch living in Berlin, whose work draws on esoteric rituals and a vivid, maximalist aesthetic, and Jess Johnson, who splits her time between Roswell, New Mexico – often dubbed the UFO capital – and a studio filled with cats. Johnson’s pieces combine intricate drawings with digital elements, creating surreal environments that echo the exhibition’s theme of unapologetic excess. All three have produced new works for the show, alongside earlier paintings, textiles, ceramics and video. Curator Serena Bentley notes that Barton’s portrait of Maggie Beer, a celebrated Australian cook rendered in a lush, dream‑like style, inspired the decision to bring in artists who share a similarly ornate visual language. The exhibition promises to push the limits of acceptable female behaviour in portraiture, exploring historic gestures such as anasyrma – the ancient practice of lifting skirts to ward off evil – and reinterpreting them as expressions of raw energy and protest. Maiden Mother Crone aims to challenge audiences, inviting them to confront bold, fantastical worlds while reconsidering the power dynamics embedded in traditional portraiture. #Art #Exhibition #PortraitGallery #AustralianArt Fuente: Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
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